She added that while Skills Minister Michaelia Cash says she wants to see the VET and university sectors on equal footing, the Liberals have failed to commit to the funding and reform required to achieve this important outcome.

"The Liberals must put TAFE back at the centre of the sector, tackle the failures of privatisation and fund the sector properly," she said.

"With youth unemployment stuck at more than double the national average, young people need a decent skills sector that leads them to secure work."

In 2018, 1.1 million students enrolled in government-funded vocational education and training, a decrease of 1.9 per cent compared to 2017.